Nancy Pelosi, America’s Speaker of the house has visited Taiwan, to Communist China’s chagrin. Threats of possible Chinese action against The USA have been made. Why the loud kerfuffle? Well, don’t you know that Communist China has claimed Taiwan as its own? It’s land mass and people that is. Seems that the anti-Imperialist Communist China of the past is on paper an empire unto itself. Having The Speaker of the House visit is much like having The President visit and proclaim to the world what the world already knows, that Taiwan is a free and independent nation.
China has claimed over i.3 million square miles of the South China Sea, while Vietnam, The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Taiwan have set their own claims upon this territory. China seems to throw its claims against the wall of global international intrigue with the hope that something will stick. To further China’s claims, its corporations have begun illegal drilling off the coast of The Philippines, building artificial islands that can be fortified by their navy and laying claim to much of South Asia’s Territorial Waters and fishing grounds. China knows their adversaries fear igniting a war with Red China, so off they go on their merry way establishing para military installations, economic docking systems and unapproved international railway systems throughout Asia. Many Chinese Military drills have been carried out to bully their neighbours, and threaten other superpowers in the region. President Xi has made his intentions clear for all to see, that a unified China must and will be achieved in time.
To bring fear into the hearts of its neighbours, China has shot ballistic missiles into the Ocean as “practice” volleys, and their navy has often placed their ships within their neighbour’s waterways illegally, knowing they can get away with it. All this bravado is for the “resource Center” region found under the South China Sea. Trillions of dollars of gas, oil, minerals and migrating fish populations waiting to be exploited.
The tension being experienced globally has set one-third of the global shipping industry into a state of inaction, floating on eggshells for fear of the arrival of a Chinese War Ship. Taiwan has set a standard in Asia, a standard of walking their own walk, and talking their own talk, quietly observing Chinese efforts to destabilize them, while carrying out business as usual. Most nations within this region respect China’s claims of “One Nation-One China”. Any official recognition of Taiwan by a western nation is diplomatically taboo, and threats of dire consequence are hurled about by China at any nation that gives Taiwan equality and significance globally.
FREDERICTON – A look at Blaine Higgs, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.
Born: March 1, 1954.
Early years: The son of a customs officer, he grew up in Forest City, N.B., near the Canada-U.S. border.
Education: Graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1977.
Family: Married his high-school sweetheart, Marcia, and settled in Saint John, N.B., where they had four daughters: Lindsey, Laura, Sarah and Rachel.
Before politics: Hired by Irving Oil a week after he graduated from university and was eventually promoted to director of distribution. Worked for 33 years at the company.
Politics: Elected to the legislature in 2010 and later served as finance minister under former Progressive Conservative Premier David Alward. Elected Tory leader in 2016 and has been premier since 2018.
Quote: “I’ve always felt parents should play the main role in raising children. No one is denying gender diversity is real. But we need to figure out how to manage it.” — Blaine Higgs in a year-end interview in 2023, explaining changes to school policies about gender identity.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
OTTAWA – The pressing issues of climate change and food security join more familiar ones like violent extremism and espionage on a new list of Canada’s intelligence priorities.
The federal government says publishing the list of priorities for the first time is an important step toward greater transparency.
The government revises the priorities every two years, based on recommendations from the national security adviser and the intelligence community.
Once the priorities are reviewed and approved by the federal cabinet, key ministers issue directives to federal agencies that produce intelligence.
Among the priorities are the security of global health, food, water and biodiversity, as well as the issues of climate change and global sustainability.
The new list also includes foreign interference and malign influence, cyberthreats, infrastructure security, Arctic sovereignty, border integrity and transnational organized crime.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette returned to the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a right middle finger fracture.
The move, retroactive to Wednesday, essentially ends an injury-plagued season for Bichette.
He had two hits and one RBI in a 13-8 loss to Texas on Tuesday in his return from a 52-game stint on the IL with a right calf strain.
Bichette also missed nine games due to the calf issue in June.
His latest injury was suffered Wednesday during infield practice. Bichette was a late scratch in a 2-0 loss to the Rangers.
Bichette hit four homers with 31 RBIs in 81 games this season. He posted a .225 batting average and a .322 slugging percentage.
The Blue Jays also recalled outfielder Jonatan Clase from Triple-A Buffalo. He was active for the series finale against the Rangers on Thursday afternoon, the team said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
